Letting Go
by kidsinlovee
Summary: Bella's loved Edward for years. Edward knows she loves him and that she'll always be there for him so she's never the priority. But what happens when Bella tries to move with her life without Edward. What will he do? What happens when he realizes there's a new guy in her life? Will he fight for her or just let go? All human. High school fic
1. Chapter 1

**A.N. I do not own any of these characters. S Meyer does and I am not her**

**No beta. All grammar mistakes are mine**

_**Present**__**Day-**_

I've loved him all my life. He was Edward Cullen. My best friend since elementary school. The perfect boy. Friendly, smart, and just all around very nice. He has the attention of all the girls at school but he never gave them a second look. The elementary school days were filled with just hanging out the two of us. Always at one another's houses.

It was around middle school when he started to change. Just like most of the boys in school he had a growth spurt and all of a sudden became more muscular. He even started playing football with his other best friend Emmett McCarty. The attention he always received from the girls started going to his head. He even started dating a bunch of them. Somewhere along the way I realized I love my best friend. The only one who knew was my other best friend Angela. She was the one of the only girls at school who I could stand. She understood my problem with Edward.

At the end of 8th grade I decided to finally tell Edward how I felt about him.

_**Flashback-**_

"Edward I need to tell you something."

"Sure Bella what is it?" He looked at me suspiciously.

"I know this is gonna be weird and it might screw everything up but I love you."

He stared at me for a while trying to process everything I've just said.

"Well are you gonna say anything?" Him not saying anything really had just started to worry me.

"I...I...I'm sorry but I love you as a friend." He looked at me sadly.

"Oh okay" Was all I could say. I had to walk away before the tears came down.

_**Present Day-**_

I didn't know if our friendship was gonna survive that but somehow it did. Edward came to my house the next day claiming that we should just forget it happened and try to save our friendship. I don't know what hurt more. Him not loving me or him asking me to forget it. In the end we did try to get past it. It was still awkward with all the girls he brings by but we learned to just ignore it.

We're finally starting our junior year of high school and I'm determined to make it different. I've barely seen Edward all summer thanks to football practice and his girlfriend Tanya. Don't get me wrong Tanya is a nice girl but we don't really talk much. Edward now seems to keep his friends and me separate. I know I'm not popular and everything but sometimes I wish we hung out together more at school. It feels like sometimes he's too cool to be see with me.

I'm starting a change today. I won't let Edward walk all over me. I will keep my life from him separate. I will move on because Edward doesn't feel the same and I deserve better.

**So that's my first chapter. I don't know if this will have a HEA. I'm not sure yet. We'll just see as time goes on. Please review and tell me what you think !**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Flashback Freshman Year-**_

"This year is gonna be awesome, Bells." Edward said to me excitedly. "Since I'm on the football team now we'll be invited to cool parties and we can sit with all the older kids during lunch!"

"I don't know Edward they're more your friends than mine. Besides I don't really know them that well"

"Don't worry they'll love you like I do. Like a sister."

There he goes saying he loves me again. But now when he says he either says just as a friend or a sister. We both know we can't forget that confession I made last year. It's still awkward.

"Hey Bells. Did you hear me at all?"

"Sorry I guess I was zoning out."

"So what do you say? Wanna sit with me and the team at lunch?"

"I guess so."

_**Present Day-**_

I guess that first day of school is what really started the change in Edward and me. Hanging out with our old friends didn't seem to have the same appeal to him as it did before. Explaining to Angela and Ben that Edward and I won't be there with them today was kind of hard because we've been with each other forever. The only good thing that happened that day at lunch was that Emmett was there as well. Him and Edward were the only ones I talked to that whole hour. It seemed like everyone ignored me and I was invisible except to them two. I think that's when Edward realized I didn't fit in with his new life no matter how hard I tried.

_**Flashback Freshman Year-**_

"Don't worry Bella in a couple of weeks this whole new popularity thing with Edward will get old and everything will be back to normal." Angela was always the best in trying to make me feel better.

"I hope so Ang. I really do miss him. I feel like we haven't been as close as we are. He keeps ditching me and forgetting plans."

*bell rings*

"It's okay Bells, everything will fall into place soon enough. See ya after school."

"Yeah see ya." I really hope things change soon. My best friend is hardly around and parents arguments have gotten worse. It seems like no matter what is going on my mom and dad are fighting. Someone is always saying how unhappy they are and they want to leave. Its only a matter of time until my parents get divorced. Charlie and Renee used to be so happy. High school sweethearts and everything. But I guess things changed for them too. If they separate I wonder what's gonna happen to me. I'm terrified of having to leave but I have no to talk to about all these fears.

I finally get to class and see there's only one empty seat left. It's by this kid I've never seen before. He has very tan skin and he looks very big and has long hair.

"Hi I'm Jacob." the kid says to me

"Bella. I've never seen you around here before."

"Yeah I live in La Push but I decided I wanted to come here for school."

"Oh well it's really nice to meet you Jacob."

_**Present Day-**_

Thinking back on that day in meeting Jacob I wish things could have turned out differently. Maybe if I Edward never would've gotten in the way with Jake and I we would've been so happy. I really did almost start to love Jake but then all of a sudden came into the picture again. Maybe back then he realized that he was slowly getting replaced.

_**Flashback Freshman Year-**_

"Bells ! I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks." Edward said as he tried hugging me.

Stepping away from the hug I coolly say to him, "It's because you haven't Edward."

"Wait are you mad at me or something?"

"Of course I'm mad! I haven't seen my best friend in weeks because he's just been too busy hanging out with him much more cooler new friends."

"No I haven't I've just had a lot of football practice!"

"Don't try to lie to me Edward, I hear you guys talking about going to all those parties on the weekends."

He looks down and realizes he's been caught in the lies. "I'm sorry it's just hard to say no to the guys I really don't want them to think I'm a dork or anything for not hanging with them."

"Wait did you just call me a dork?"

"What no! I just-" He never got to finish that sentence because all of a sudden one of this football friends said, "Yo Ed! Let's go hang out at Royce's place right now!"

"Just a sec, James. I'm in the middle of something." Edward replied quickly.

"Well hurry up with little miss whatever so we can go." the boy named James said.

"Whatever Edward it seems like you need to go already. I'll just see you whenever."

"No I'll talk to you now. You're important to me too."

Right at the moment Jacob, my savior, seems me in the parking lot and yells my name.

"Bella let's go!" Jake says with a beautiful smile.

"Hold on for a bit Jake!" I yell back.

"Who the fuck is that Bella?!" The look Edward has in his eyes is pretty damn scary.

"That's my friend Jake, we made plans so I guess I have to go to."

"Since when did you have other guy friends other than Ben and I?!"

"It seems like you're not the only one whose changing in high school Edward. Jake's been a better friend to me than you have been in a long while."

"Bella you don't mean that..." he says it slowly and so very sadly

"I really do Edward. It's not a bad thing. Things change and people change maybe we're not meant to be friends forever." And with that I walk away and just head to Jake and and wrap my arms around him. Jake really has been a good friend to me and I'd be lying if I say I'm not attracted to him. Maybe things with me and him will be different than me and Edward.

**Sorry this chapter was mostly flashbacks. I just wanted to give you an insight on how they were before and the changes Edward is slowly making. It might be confusing but things will be explained over time. Review please !**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Present Day Edward P.O.V-**_

Junior year is gonna be the best year so far, I just know it. Nothing can go wrong. I'm finally gonna be a starter for football, my grades are actually great, my girl friend Tanya is amazing, and lastly Bella and I are still friends.

I know I haven't treated Bella as well as I should have but she's my best friend, I know she'll always be there for me no matter what. She loves me and I know it's hard to leave someone you love. I know I sound like such an asshole about how Bella will be here for me but it's true. No matter how badly I treated her she comes back. Always.

Well maybe not always there was a time way back in freshman year when Bella didn't talk to me. All because of that asshole Jacob Black. He was the who took all of Bella's time for most of the year. He seemed so smug about them always being together. Bella never really told me exactly why they stopped being friends. All I know is that it had something to do with me. Black confronted me one day after claiming how it is all my fault that him and Bella didn't work out. I tried asking her about it but she shut me down every time. She said that they dated for a while but never got into details. When Bella told me they were together I wanted to punch his face in. No one can touch my best friend. She deserves nothing but the best. I know him and Bella didn't do anything at all because she just isn't like. But sometimes I have doubts. Black told me that I don't know her as well as I think and that people do change. Even Bella herself said she changed. But would she change that much to sleep with him? No Edward don't think about that she's your best friend. You don't feel anything but feelings of friendship for her. It's just not possible. One day you'll have a wife and she'll have a husband maybe one day our kids can be as close as we are. But why does the thought of her having a separate life from me make me just so sad?

_**Present Day Bella P.O.V-**_

You can do this Bella it's just school. We've been through this over and over again. It's just a very tedious process. Junior year. Another step closer to senior year and getting out of this little town. A new place, a new start. Just soon.

Everything's different now without Jake.

_Stop it Bella don't think like that anymore. It's your fault that you and Jake aren't friends anymore._

_Maybe if I tried harder to stop loving Edward things would be easier._

_Maybe if I tried harder to make it work with Jake._

_Maybe if I waited until I was sure that I loved Jake before I slept with him. _

So many regrets. So many wrong choices. I just wish I handled everything with Jake in the right way. In hindsight I guess admitting to him that I love Edward after we had sex was a bad thing. Breaking Jake's heart was something I never wanted to do. I really did start having strong feelings for Jake but Edward over powered it. I can't even look Jake in the eyes anymore. I heard the day after Jake confronted Edward and blamed everything on him. I'm glad he didn't outright say it because it would've been so embarrassing. The only one who knows everything that happened between Jake and I are Angela and Ben. They both swore that they wouldn't tell anyone, especially Edward. I don't know what he'd do if he ever found out. Knowing him he probably wouldn't care and ask me how it was.

**Whoooo. Sorry it was such a short chapter. I've been super busy today but I didn't want to not post. There you have it though, a little insight into Edward's mind and a little more back story on Bella and Jake. She ain't no virgin. Tell me what ya think in the reviews !**


	4. Chapter 4

**Present Day B P.O.V-**

Junior year has started without much drama. I've realized how boring and mundane my life has become. I need to have a more open social life. Maybe I should actually start going to the parties I get invited to. Angela has been begging me to go with her so she's not just there with Ben and his football buddies. But going with Ang and Ben to the parties will mean that I run into Edward. Yeah I know we're friends but seeing him with another girl hurts. He's not the same boy I knew before. The boy I grew up and fell in love with always promised that he'd be there for me no matter what and that he'll be the one to protect me from all the danger in life. Looking back on all the promises Edward made me I realize that they were all just children's promises. We were so young back then and we didn't take those promises so seriously.

* * *

_**Flashback Third Grade-**_

"I promise Bells when we're older I'll be the one to help you !"

"Help me with things like what Eddie?"

"When you fall I'll pick you up, whenever a boy hurts you I'll beat him up, we'll be each other's dates for dances and the other grow up stuff. Not to mention when we're older I'll be your boyfriend because my mommy and daddy said you should be with someone who can make you laugh and have fun with and the only person I want to be with is you."

"That sounds like so much fun but we'll do all that stuff when we're older. We'll still be best friends even when do that stuff right?"

"Of course we will! You'll be my best friend no matter what happens!"

"Promise?"

"Promise. Forever."

* * *

**Present Day-**

I miss that Edward. The one who would focus more on having fun and just spending time with his friends rather than out partying. I guess Edward and I don't see each other as much because I never did try very hard to fit in with his friends. Most of the girls he talked to were the cheerleaders who cared most about their appearance and what was happening in everyone else's life.

I on the other hand didn't really care about the clothes I was wearing and if they were fancy enough for people. I mean this is Forks it rains a lot. Why should I dress up when it's just gonna be ruined by the rain. My motto is if it's comfortable and you feel good in it then it's the perfect outfit.

Anyways this year I want to focus more on being more social. Maybe I could even get on more clubs and meet new people. The things I've been wanting to join the most would be the newspaper and maybe even theater. Angela is the editor of the newspaper and I know she'll be thrilled that we can gave something else to do. Theater I'm more nervous about because I don't really know anyone in it. I really don't wanna be the quiet girl whose too afraid to something.

* * *

Going to my next class was such a drag. Biology was just annoying. I had to spend a whole hour seeing girls fawn over how attractive Edward is. Like we get it. You're popular and attractive. I just miss my best friend.

I didn't realize someone sat down next to me until I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Hi I'm Jasper Hale." I could hear a southern twang in his voice.

"Bella Swan. Did you just move here? I haven't see you around before."

"Yes m'am I did. My dad's in the military so I decided to come live with some relatives."

"Are you related to Rosalie Hale by any chance?"

"That I am. I can see by the look on your face that you're not a part of her fan club?"

"Not really. I mean she completely hates me and I honestly don't know why."

"That's just Rose. Trust me I'm nothing like my cousin."

"I can see that. If you were her you would've insulted me at 10 times already."

"I don't understand how anyone can hate you. You seem like such a nice girl. I'm really hoping we can be friends Miss Bella Swan." As he says my name his accent really made it sound so dreamy. I was swooning.

"I'd love to be friends Mr. Jasper Hale." I saw with a smile. And with that class has begun.

**This is a late chapter but oh well. So we met Jasper. Bella is still a lovesick idiot but she also misses her best friend. Are we gonna meet anyone new next chapter? I'm not sure. Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Present day E P.O.V-**

Same thing every single say. Same people, same drama, same, same, same. The only thing that keeps me sort of happy is football. Other than that it's been boring. My so called friends only care about parties and girls. The girls here aren't even all that. Most of the ones that hang around us have been so used up. My relationship with Tanya has run it's course. I'm not happy with her anymore. I'm not happy with anything anymore.

A loud laugh in the cafeteria brought me out of all my deep thinking. Looking to see who it was really surprised me. At a table I see one of my football buddies Ben, his girl friend Angela, Rose's cousin and _Bella. _They were all laughing at something Jasper was saying. They all looked so happy together. It's the first time I've seen Bella's eyes light up in a long time. Whenever I talk to her she always has this look in her eyes that reminds me of sadness. Maybe that's why it's so hard for me to talk to Bella these past couple of months. I hate seeing those eyes. But what the hell was Jasper doing there?! I've never seen anyone else join Bella, Ben, and Angela. This is Jasper's first day and he could have sat with us if he wanted to. I always had this vibe from Jasper that he didn't really like any of us that much. We all met him over the summer cause of Rose and it seemed like he didn't really like how we treated other people. Yeah I get it. We're all douchebags at least we could admit it. The least douchey person out of all of us was Ben. He kept us separate with all of his other friends. I don't get how he does it. He still has the same friends and same girl friend since elementary school. We try to give him shit for it but it doesn't faze him. He says he's happy with Ang and that Bella is great. I miss my old friends so much. Being popular was always the goal for me back then and once I finally reached it I didn't know what to do with myself. I guess the only thing I saw the other guys doing was going after as many girls as possible. I was drifting away from my real friends and I couldn't see it back then. The approval of everyone else was more important because my old friends will always be there.

As time went on and I ignored my real friends I realized that we've grown so apart that we can barely carry on a conversation for so long. I tried so hard to keep talking to Bella but it got too awkward. I used to only go hours without talking to her but now I can go months. The only times I would really talk to her is when I parents would share dinners together. It was what they did with us when we were still young but now that we're older the dinners got more scattered. When Charlie and Renee split up our parents barely saw each other. Maybe I should have tried harder to be her friend. I could feel our friendship waning but I thought she'd wait for me like always. Looking back I can see how that stupid kid I used to be turned into the big dumbass I am today.

* * *

**Present Day Jasper P.O.V-**

Forks High was different from what I was used to. It was the stereotypical high school. The jocks and cheerleaders were the royalty and only they were the ones who mattered. I wonder if they know that this is the best time of their lives. They're most likely gonna peak in high school. I tell Rose this all the time but she insists that her and Royce will be forever. Ha. She's just so naive. I hate how since her parents are rarely home the cheerleaders and the football players like to party at her house. All those guys are such assholes and I don't understand how girls can find them so appealing. The only one I really liked was Ben. He stood out to me because when I met him he seemed to genuinely tried getting to know me. He was one of the only ones who didn't come bragging to me about their skills and which girls they did or which girls will do me. I just wasn't interested in fucking girls just to have a reputation. Don't get me wrong I'm no virgin but I believe in having actual feelings for girls before I get them into bed.

On the subject of girls two of them stood out to me. They were Angela Weber and Bella Swan. I met them on the first day and they actually talked me because they wanted to get to know me. They didn't just want to sleep with me just because I was new and hot like the other girls around. Bella seemed very interesting to me because I could see something in her eyes that was just of pure sadness. Whenever she looks away or stops talking I see it clearly in her eyes. She reminds me of an old friend. Something in Bella just draws me to her. There's something in me that wants to know what hurt her in the past to make her so sad. I want to help get rid of the sadness in her. A beautiful girl like that deserves the world and to be ecstatic. She's deserves to be treated like a Princess.

**So that's what they guys are thinking. Boys can be so clueless and dumb sometimes. Tell me what you think in the reviews !**


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